Humidor for cigar and tobacco cases



Sept. 19, 1950 .1. P. MoHl-:N 2,522,58

' HUMIDOR FOR CIGAR AND TOBACCO CASS Filed April 19, 1947 INVENTO A TTORNE Y Patented Sept. 19, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Hut/noon non olefin ANnronAcoo cases John P. Mohen, Clayton, Mo.

Application Aprii19, 1947, serial No. 742,641 1 claim. (o1. 299-20) This invention relates to humidors for cigar and tobacco cases, as designed for keeping the contents of the case properly moist and in good condition at all times.

The principal object of the invention is to provide a moistener of this kind which comprises certain practical improvements in respect of its structural features whereby it is rendered more compact and attractive in appearance and more efficient in use.

Another object of the invention is to provide a moistener of the kind referred to, the same comprising a base tray for catching drip water, a water seal within the bottom of the tray for protecting same against corrosion, an open topped and impervious water receptacle preferably of glass positioned within the tray upon the water seal thereof, the said tray being of somewhat greater diameter than the water receptacle and so that the upturned flanges oi the tray stand spaced outwardly from the sides of the water receptacle, so as to catch the drip water or moisture running down the sides of the water receptacle, a hollow funnel-like water absorbent and humidifying Vessel removably seated atop the impervious water receptacle, this Vessel being closed at its top, sides and bottom except for a small iiller vent through the top thereof and a pendant and hollow stem of similar absorbent material and preferably formed integrally with the said humidifying vessel, projected downward into the water receptacle through the open top thereof, and means for releasably locking the described elements as a unit.

With the stated objects in View, together with such other and additional objects and advantages as may appear from the specification, attention is directed to the accompanying drawing as exemplifying a preferred embodiment of the invention, and wherein:

Figure l is a vertical section through the complete unit or humidor, constructed and assembled as above suggested.

Figure 2 is a top plan View.

Figure 3 is a fragmental side elevation of the lower medial portion of the unit as shown in Figure l, taken at an angle of ninety degrees to the view of Figure 1. The three views are all on the saine scale.

In practising this invention as here exemplified, provide a circular tray 5 of metal or other suitable material, the same including a bottom portion 5a and upturned side flanges 5b. Within this tray, especially if the same is made of metal, I snugly t a glass sealing plate 6, and an additional sealing ring or gasket 'l is mounted within the tray where the plate 6 meets the anges 5b of the tray 5. Thus a perfect water seal is provided at the bottom of the tray 5. An impervious, open topped water receptacle 8, preferably of glass or other transparent material, and of somewhat smaller diameter than the outer tray 5, is seated within the tray, with the-lower peripheral margin of its bottom @a having a bearing upon the gasket l all around the bottom and providing an intermediate air-space 9 between the bottoms of the tray 5 and the water receptacle E. The upper open end of the receptacle 8 is reduced circumferentially to form an annular indrawn shoulder 8c.

A hollow, funnel-like, capillary and water absorbent vessel it is provided and is removably seated atop the open upper end of the receptacle 8, this vessel being closed at its top Ilia, except for the filler hole or port lb, at its sides Hic, and at its bottom Bild except for the pendant hollow spout, stem or tube ite, preferably formed integrally with the upper body portion of the vessel and of the same absorbent material. The sides itc of the Vessel lil are extended down below the bottom Iid, to provide an annular pendant ange or skirt ith which is beveled at its lower and inner margin as shown at If, so as to complementally nt down upon the angularly indrawn should-er 8c of the receptacle 8. From diametrically opposite sides of the pendant flange of skirt IEJh, hooked lugs lg are extended outwardly and may if preferred and as here shown, be formed integrally with the material of the vessel IU. As means for removably securing together the described parts of the humidor, retractile coil springs il are provided, the ends thereof being formed as hooks for engaging at their upper ends the rings i2, which rings in turn are seated over the hooked lugs ieg, while the hooks at the lower ends of the springs are inserted under tension through apertures 5c formed through the upper margins of the flange 5b of the tray 5.

As above stated, the vessel ii! is formed of any suitably semi-porous, cribriform and water absorbent material such as plaster of Paris, baked clay, or Iany other material which is subject to the capillary action of water.

ln use, water is filled into the water receptacle il through the aperture or port ith in the top of the vessel it, the water flowing down through the spout, tube or stern ite into the receptacle ii. Through capillary action the water works up through the walls of the spout lite into and through the sides itc of the Vessel it, whence through evaporation the Water is vaporized and is diffused throughout the cigar and tobacco case within which the device is placed, thus suitably moistening the contents of the case. While any desired kind of impervious and opaque material may be used for making the water receptacle 8, glass or some other transparent material is preferred for this purpose for the reason that ornamental rocks, marbles or gures may be placed Within this receptacle, thus imparting a very pleasing or ornamental and attractive eiect to the entire assembly. Moreover, the amount of water therein is readily seen. The device as described may be readily disassembled for cleaning or other purposes, by merely releasing the fastening springs Il.

While I have here shown and described a specific embodiment of the invention, and specific structural features thereof, these features may be changed and modified as desired, within the scope of the claim.

I claim:

A humidor of the kind described, the same comprising a basal, marginally flanged drip tray,

an open topped Water receptacle of lesser diameter than the tray seated within the tray, thus providing a marginal drip space between the flanges of the tray and the sides of the water receptacle, a hollow, funne1like, capillary and water absorbent vessel removably seated atop the open end of the water receptacle, said vessel beivi) 4 ing closed at its top except for a small ller port, Iand closed also at its bottom except for an integrally formed spout of similar capillary material extended down into the water receptacle, the sides of the said capillary water-absorbent vessel being extended down outwardly below its bottom to form a skirt for pendantly surrounding the complementally formed marginal shoulder of the open top of the Water receptacle, and means extended vertically between the said pendant skirt of the Water-absorbent vessel and the flange of the drip tray for releasably securing the several parts of the device together ina unitary assembly.

JOHN P. MOI-IEN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 498,146 Wooley May 23, 1893 1,429,783 Scott Sept. 19, 1922 1,579,111 Hinkson Mar. 30, 1926 2,255,491 Mohen Sept. 9, 1941 2,383,960 Dupuy Sept. 4, 1945 2,412,326 Dupuy Dec. 10, 1946 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 274,140 Great Britain July 12, 1927 

